Alex Menichini gave the nation's No. 1-rated player a run for his money Sunday.

Sept. 28, 2003

WACO, Texas

Senior TCU men's tennis player Alex Menichini, ranked 47th nationally, had a daunting task in front of him Sunday in the semifinals of the gold singles flight of the HEB Baylor Intercollegiate in Waco, Texas, when he faced No. 1-rated Benedikt Dorsch from Baylor. Although the Calabasas, Calif., native could not pull off the upset, he gave Dorsch more than he bargained for, falling by a 6-4, 7-6(6) count. TCU freshman Robert Gallman was also in action in the quarterfinals of the gold flight consolation draw. He was also downed by a top-25 contender in No. 17 Benjamin Becker, also from Baylor, by scores of 6-1, 7-6(5).

Five Horned Frogs will now travel to Chattanooga, Tenn., to compete in the first Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) national event of the year, the Icy Hot/ITA All-American Championships. Menichini and 63rd-ranked junior Fabrizio Sestini will compete in the qualifying round of the tournament over Oct. 7-8. Gallman and sophomores Rafael Abreu and Jacopo Tezza will try to battle their way through to the qualifying portion of the event by playing in the pre-qualifying round from Oct. 3-6. The doubles tandems of Abreu/Sestini and Gallman/Tezza will also appear in the pre-qualies.